Net supporting poles



Nov. 12, 1957 H. J. BARRECA NET SUPPORTING POLES Filed April 18, 1955 /l TTOP/VEY United .States Patent() NET SUPPORTING PoLEs Henry J. Barreca, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application April 18, 195s, serial No. 502,111 1 claim. (ci. 273-29) This invention relates to games and more specifically to a game net supporting pole used, for example, in the playing of badminton.

The object of this invention is to produce a novel and improved net supporting pole which is separable into a plurality of sections for convenience in handling and storing. It is assembled for playing in a most simple manner and utilizes sections of lock-seam tubing. The interconnection between the sections are such as to utilize the lock-seam of the tubing as a key to maintain the sections properly and easily assembled.

Another important object of this invention is to provide the composite pole with a pair of transversepassages designed to receive a rope of the net, or a guy wire to maintain the poles in erect position. These transverse passages are located in different sections of the composite pole. However, they should be maintained parallel so that the net willbe properly supported. The disposition of the transverse passages as will hereinafter be shown, are such as to cooperate with the interconnections between the elements in maintaining such passages parallel at all times while avoiding undue weakening of the pole as by passing through any portion of the lock-seams.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the support of a game net by a pair of poles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of an assembled pole;

Figure 3 is an exploded view, partly broken away, of the interconnecting portions of the pole sections;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in crosssection, and illustrating the composite pole;

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 7 7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 8 8 of Figure 6; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 8. i

As is well understood, the net 10 is provided with end ropes 11 and is supported between spaced poles 12 and 13. It is these poles that are the subject of the instant invention. The poles are provided with transverse passages 14 and 14a which receive a rope 11 of the net 10. Either or both of the transverse passages may also receive a guy wire 15 for better maintaining the pole in position.

For convenience in manufacturing, shipping and handling in general, the pole is illustrated as being comprised of three tubular metallic sections 16, 17 and 18. All of these sections are formed of lock-seam tubing in which a flat length of metal is rolled over into tubular form and the ends are locked in an integral, folded seam or bead which extends longitudinally along the inner wall of the tubing, the outer Wall of the tubing merely exhibiting a seam line 19. As will be shown hereinafter, I have taken advantage of such inward lock-seam to employ it as a key for keying successive tubular sections together to form the composite pole.

Following the upper section 16, the successive sections 17 `and 18 have their upper interconnecting ends reduced in diameter and formed with vertical grooves so that such ends may be inserted into and embraced by the adjacent interconnecting end of an upper pole. Thus, tube section 17 has its interconnecting end or element 20 formed with diametrically opposite vertical grooves 21 and 22 each of which is angularly spaced from the lock-seam 23, the element 20 being necessarily reduced in diameter by the formation of the grooves.

The uppermost tubular section 16 is formed with the lock-seam 24 and such lock-seam is received in the cooperating elongated vertical groove 22 of tube section 17 so as to maintain both of said tube sections in a predetermined angular relationship. Of course, the lockseam 25 may also and alternatively be received in the elongated vertical groove 21 so that the user need not be concerned with the specic disposition of the lock-seam in either of the grooves.

As will be observed in Figure 7, when the tubular sections are interconnected, the lock-seam 23 of the section 17 is necessarily spaced 90 from the lock-seam 24 of the tubular section 16. This occurs no matter which of the vertical grooves of the section 17 is employed to receive the lock-seam 24.

A most important aspect of the instant invention is the provision of the transverse passages 14 and 14a of which the longitudinal axes should be maintained parallel at all times when the sections are assembled. In this Way, the ropes 11 and guy wires 16 will function properly when connected through such passages. Such passages comprise tubular members 26 disposed through diametrically opposite openings in the Walls of the tube sections and riveted over so as to be maintained against accidental displacement. My specific disposition of the transverse passages is such as to maintain their longitudinal axes parallel regardless of how the sections are interconnected. This is effected by arranging the transverse passages so that they lie entirely within the angular spacing between the lock-seams of successive tubular sections. In this way, they do not weaken the lock-seams as by penetrating them. Further, as will be noted in Figure 7, when the sections are interconnected, the transverse passage 14a will assume a predetermined position within the angular spacing between the lock-seams of respective aligned sections. The upper transverse passage 14 likewise avoids the lock-seam or bead 24 and is parallel to the lower passage 14a. This relationship will be maintained regardless of how the upper pole 16 is inserted into the lower pole 17.

As is more or less conventional, an upper cap 27 which may be of plastic or rubber or the like, is employed as is a lowermost plug tip 28 which has a pointed end and which permits the assembled pole to be conveniently forced into the ground. As a suggested method of inserting the pointed end or tip 28 into the lower end of lowermost pole 18, I press a dimple 29 into such lower end and provide a tongue on tip 28 which has a depression into which the dimple snaps and thus maintains the tip in place.

There has been shown what is now considered a preferred embodiment of the invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made therein without departing from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

A net supporting pole comprising a plurality of aligned, separable, elongated tubular sections having a pair of `respectively interconnecting elements at adjacent end portions thereof, an upper one of said sections being formed with a transverse passage therethrough and adapted to receive an upper rope of a game net, a relatively lower one of said sections being likewise formed with a second transverse passage therethrough and adapted to receive a lower rope of the game net so as to maintain said game net in playing position, key means included in all interconnections between said upper and lower sections and maintaining the longitudinal axes of both of said transverse passages in parallel relationship, said key means comprising an inwardly projecting and longitudinally extending integral bead on the inner walls of one of said pairs'of interconnecting elements, and a pair of vertical grooves formed in the other interconnecting element of said pair, said vertical grooves being formed longitudinally on diametrically opposite sides of said other interconnecting element whereby either one of said grooves may be keyed to said bead, the bead of each tubular section extending from one end to the other end of the section,

the beads of successive sections being angularly spaced 90 degrees from each other when the sections are interconnected, each of said transverse passages being disposed in a vertical plane which extends from a wall portion of the tubular section disposed entirely within said 90 degree angular spacing and diametrically across the tubular section to and through an opposite wall portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 159,007 Wilmot Jan. 19, 1875 1,776,690 Riemenschneider Sept. 23, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 317,687 Great Britain Aug. 22, 1929 397,115 Great Britain Aug. 14, 1933 468,403 Great Britain July 5, 1937 

